Bistecca alla fiorentina
The Cabernet spine and graphite tannins are the perfect counterweight to charred Chianina beef fat.
Our editors write the food pairings for every bottle we review. Grouped by kind of food, the Cabernet Sauvignon pairings come out like this, most frequent first. Each card names the bottle, so you can read the full tasting note before you cook.
192 Cabernet Sauvignon pairings
Cabernet Sauvignon with beef and red meat
Rib of beef, dry-aged
Dry-aged beef umami meets Sassicaia's cedar.
Entrecote with bone marrow butter
Full body and cassis fruit stand up to the richness of marrow; scorched-earth notes bridge the char on the meat.
Bordeaux-style beef ribeye
The Cabernet structure pairs with the marbled beef.
Entrecote bordelaise with bone marrow and shallot sauce
The wine's iron-firm tannins cut the fat; bone marrow richness mirrors the wine's weight.
Slow-braised short ribs
The wine's full body and elegant tannins suit slow-cooked beef; concentrated fruit matches the reduction.
170 Cabernet Sauvignon pairings
Cabernet Sauvignon with cheese
Aged Asiago d'Allevo
Sharp, nutty northern Italian cheese sharpens the wine's dark fruit register.
Aged Manchego cheese
Crystalline sheep's milk salt amplifies the wine's cedar and tobacco notes.
Aged Comté or Mimolette
Crystalline salt and nuttiness in aged hard cheese sharpens the wine's red-fruit core.
Aged Asiago Stravecchio
Mature alpine cheese matches the wine's depth and structured tannins.
Aged Cantal cheese
The crystalline texture and lactic acidity of aged Cantal softens the tannin grip and lifts red-fruit notes.
Aged Comte cheese
Daumas Gassac's cedar and fine grain meet the cheese's nuttiness.
145 Cabernet Sauvignon pairings
Cabernet Sauvignon with lamb
Roasted Pauillac lamb saddle
The signature Bordeaux pairing: structured first-growth tannins and mineral precision meet the finest regional lamb.
Slow-braised lamb (lechazo)
Castilian slow-cooked lamb finds a structural equal in the wine's firm tannins and earthy complexity.
Roasted Pauillac lamb with thyme jus
The earthy graphite and tobacco character of the wine echoes the herbal notes of thyme; firm tannins cut through the lamb fat.
Roast milk-fed lamb
The wine's concentration and firm tannins find a match in tender slow-roasted lamb.
Saddle of lamb with herbs
Graphite and garrigue echo herb-roasted lamb.
Whole roasted lamb
The wine's power and complexity require the most celebratory of Castilian roasts.
93 Cabernet Sauvignon pairings
Cabernet Sauvignon with game
Wild boar stew with juniper
Gamey, resinous stew finds its match in the wine's dried-herb and cedar notes.
Wild Scottish grouse
Game birds' gamey intensity and earthy character demand the complexity and aromatic depth of a great Margaux.
Braised wild boar
Game and dark-fruited Cabernet share leather and spice notes.
Rack of venison with black truffle
The wine's concentrated dark fruit and biodynamic earthy depth are amplified by truffle and gamey venison.
Roast saddle of venison
The wine's iron note matches gamey venison.
Roast venison with juniper
Game and dark fruit echo each other; the wine's spice register meets the juniper.
53 Cabernet Sauvignon pairings
Cabernet Sauvignon with pork
Roast suckling pig (cochinillo)
Iberian roast pork's caramelised fat and delicate meat are lifted by the wine's dried-fruit depth and mineral backbone.
Grilled Iberian pork shoulder
Rich dark fruit and firm tannins balance the fat and smoke.
Slow-roasted suckling pig
The wine's richness and structure meet the fat and skin of roasted pork.
Alentejo black pork secretos
Full body and high tannin match a rich cut of pork.
Roasted pork belly with herbs
Richer than many Pauillacs at this classification, Lynch-Bages' dark fruit and firm structure handle the fat of pork belly well.
Slow-roasted suckling pig (cochinillo)
The wine's structure and oak complexity match the richness of Castilian cochinillo.
40 Cabernet Sauvignon pairings
Cabernet Sauvignon with mushrooms and truffle
Hard mountain cheese with truffle honey
Sweet umami amplifies the wine's depth.
Risotto with porcini mushrooms
Earthy mushroom umami mirrors the wine's incense and tobacco complexity.
White truffle risotto
Earthy truffle and the wine's graphite-and-violet precision create an extraordinary aromatic dialogue.
Aged Pecorino with truffle honey
Sweet umami amplifies the wine's cedar.
Black truffle and brie en croute
Earthy truffle amplifies the wine's forest-floor and cigar-wrapper register; melted brie softens the firm tannins.
Truffle-dressed risotto
The wine's earthy mineral character pairs naturally with truffle.
32 Cabernet Sauvignon pairings
Cabernet Sauvignon with charcuterie and cured meats
Aged Iberian ham
Mineral depth and intensity complement the complexity of cured Iberian pork.
Iberico ham (jamon iberico)
Silky cured fat and nutty complexity complement the wine's tobacco and cedar tones.
Pa amb tomaquet with cured Iberian ham
Catalan bread-and-tomato with bellota ham finds the wine's tobacco and graphite core.
Wild boar terrine with cornichons
Game charcuterie amplifies the wine's tobacoo and earthy register while the acidic cornichons cleanse the palate.
Charcuterie board
Cured meats and fresh red-berried blends share casual register.
Charcuterie with finocchiona
Syrah's pepper meets fennel salame.
29 Cabernet Sauvignon pairings
Cabernet Sauvignon with duck and goose
Foie gras mi-cuit
The wine's grippy tannins and high acidity cut through the richness of mi-cuit foie gras.
Canard a l'orange
Duck fat and citrus glaze find an anchor in the wine's dark-fruit core while firm tannins cut through richness.
Roast duck breast with cherry reduction
Dark-fruited Cabernet meets cherry sauce in matching register.
Magret de canard with cherries
Fantastique's black-plum and iron register echo cherry sauce and duck fat; tannins handle the seared skin.
Roast duck
The producer names duck; candied black fruit and smooth tannin suit rich bird.
Roasted duck with polenta taragna
Dark fruit and firm tannins match well with the richness of duck and buckwheat polenta.
25 Cabernet Sauvignon pairings
Cabernet Sauvignon with pasta, pizza and grains
Roquefort with walnut bread
Salty, piquant blue cheese amplifies the wine's dark fruit while the walnut bread adds textural contrast.
Pici al ragu
Hand-rolled pici and Sangiovese's lead role.
Manchego with bread
Easy, rustic Spanish pairing with the wine's cherry and vanilla notes.
Wood-fired pizza
Tomato-based pizza and red-berry profile pair easily.
Lasagna alla bolognese
Mid-weight Sangiovese-Bordeaux blend with lasagna.
Lasagne
The producer lists it among Mediterranean dishes.
24 Cabernet Sauvignon pairings
Cabernet Sauvignon with chicken and white meat
Roast chicken with jus
Medium-weight cherry fruit complements mild poultry without overwhelming it.
Roast chicken with herbs
Mid-weight Bolgheri for poultry.
Roast chicken with mushroom stuffing
Medium Cabernet structure complements poultry elegantly; earthy mushroom mirrors the wine's mineral notes.
Roast chicken with rosemary
Mid-weight red for roast poultry.
Roast chicken with paprika
Ripe fruit and gentle spice complement the paprika seasoning.
Roast chicken with pimentón and herbs
Medium body and red fruit complement the smoky herb-roasted chicken.
21 Cabernet Sauvignon pairings
Cabernet Sauvignon with vegetables and salads
Slow-cooked meat in fresh tomato sauce
Semeli names this pairing; the wine's flesh and spice sit inside the sauce.
Grilled sirloin with green peppercorn sauce
Firm tannins cut through beef fat; the wine's graphite and spice amplify the peppercorn savour.
Grilled red peppers stuffed with meat
The wine's fruit and spice notes resonate with the pimento and meat combination.
Salade nicoise
Anchovy, olive and tuna meet a structured Provencal rose; tangerine notes refresh between bites.
Aperitif and olive tapenade
The wine's fine bubbles and red-berry lift suit aperitif salt and olive.
Caprese salad
Tomato and mozzarella with bright Bolgheri pink.
9 Cabernet Sauvignon pairings
Cabernet Sauvignon with fish
Grilled red mullet with fennel
Selle's saline core matches red mullet's iodine sweetness; fennel echoes the wine's white-pepper finish.
Vitello tonnato
Cold veal-tuna with cherry rose.
Grilled tuna steak
A Cabernet rose has the body for meaty fish, and the crisp taste keeps it fresh.
Roasted octopus with fava and caper sauce
Producer-recommended pairing.
Grilled fish
Vivid, dry red-berry fruit complements simply grilled fish.
Grilled sardines
A light, fruity red that works even with simple grilled fish, Alentejo-style.
4 Cabernet Sauvignon pairings
Cabernet Sauvignon with oysters and shellfish
Grilled prawns
Light bubbles and saline finish carry shellfish without overpowering.
Grilled prawns with garlic
Coastal pink for grilled shellfish.
Prawn rissóis
Fried shrimp turnovers need the acid line to reset the palate between bites.
Spaghetti or tagliatelle with lobster
Producer-recommended pairing.
Taste it with the food in Bordeaux
Food and wine tastings you can book in Bordeaux, the region with the most Cabernet Sauvignon bottles on our pages that sells them.
Saint-Emilion: Grand Cru Classé Guided Winery Visit & Picnic
Enjoy a vineyard picnic and visit two wineries, one traditional, one modern, in Saint-Émilion Grand Cru. Learn about winemaking and taste three exceptional wines.
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Saint-Émilion: Grand Cru Classé Winery Visit and Tasting
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Where the bottles come from
Cabernet Sauvignon pairings by region
- Bordeaux (55 bottles), Bordeaux food pairing
- Tuscany (34 bottles), Tuscany food pairing
- Priorat (26 bottles), Priorat food pairing
- Provence (26 bottles), Provence food pairing
- Ribera del Duero (21 bottles), Ribera del Duero food pairing
- Alentejo (15 bottles), Alentejo food pairing
- Burgenland (10 bottles), Burgenland food pairing
- Penedes (10 bottles), Penedes food pairing
- Istria (9 bottles), Istria food pairing
- Nemea (9 bottles), Nemea food pairing
- Umbria (9 bottles), Umbria food pairing
- Eger (8 bottles), Eger food pairing
- Alto Adige (7 bottles), Alto Adige food pairing
- Brda (7 bottles), Brda food pairing
- Languedoc (7 bottles), Languedoc food pairing
- Friuli-Venezia Giulia (6 bottles), Friuli-Venezia Giulia food pairing
- Valpolicella (6 bottles), Valpolicella food pairing
- Baden (4 bottles), Baden food pairing
- Sicily (4 bottles), Sicily food pairing
- Veneto (4 bottles), Veneto food pairing
- Franciacorta (2 bottles), Franciacorta food pairing
- Pfalz (2 bottles), Pfalz food pairing
- Valais (2 bottles), Valais food pairing
- Dão (1 bottle), Dão food pairing
- Kakheti (1 bottle), Kakheti food pairing
- Naoussa (1 bottle), Naoussa food pairing
- Rioja (1 bottle), Rioja food pairing
Cabernet Sauvignon food pairing, FAQ
What food goes with Cabernet Sauvignon?
Across the 287 Cabernet Sauvignon bottles on Cork & Curve, the dishes our editors pair most often are beef, cheese and lamb. For example, our page for Giuseppe Quintarelli Alzero from Valpolicella suggests "Bistecca alla fiorentina": The Cabernet spine and graphite tannins are the perfect counterweight to charred Chianina beef fat.
What cheese goes with Cabernet Sauvignon?
Cheeses our editors pair with Cabernet Sauvignon bottles include Aged Asiago d'Allevo, Aged Manchego cheese and Aged Comté or Mimolette.
What meat goes with Cabernet Sauvignon?
Beef and red meat is the pairing that comes up most among meats for Cabernet Sauvignon: Bistecca alla fiorentina, Rib of beef, dry-aged and Entrecote with bone marrow butter are among the dishes on our Cabernet Sauvignon bottle pages.